Doctor Who: Classic Era Davros (1975-88)

Doctor Who: Classic Era Davros (1975-88)

NOTE: there are SPOILERS for a number of Classic Era Dr Who stories below this paragraph. It would be advisable not to read any further if you're not okay with that.

The Doctor had encountered the Daleks more than once before, as far back as his first onscreen incarnation (William Hartnell), during the second multipart story of the first series (1963-64), but he didn't come face-to-face with their tyrannical creator Davros until the fourth serial of the twelfth season (1975).

The duo met four more times over the next thirteen years, and you'll find thoughts on each of those meetings in the text below the cut. Once again, SPOILERS are present.

01. Genesis of the Daleks (1975) is a Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) story in six parts, with travelling companions Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry Sullivan (Ian Marter).

It outlines the relationship between two warring races on the planet Skaro, the Thals and the Kaleds, and explores Davros' reasons for creating the genocidal Daleks in the first place, in a process fuelled by personal goals that are part scientific and part egomaniacal.

The real-world basis of the Dalek objective to exterminate all life that isn't Dalek was already obvious, but the addition of Davros (Michael Wisher) pushed the Nazi comparison up a notch. His climb towards absolute authority is encapsulated not only in his actions but in his words.

For the Doctor it's essentially a story that asks the much-debated question: if you could go back in time and kill Hitler before his rise to power led to what it did, would you choose to do it?

It's a fairly good start to a long-running arc that varied greatly in quality in subsequent years, but the killer oysters were damned awful, even for a franchise that's known for its cheapo creatures.

02. Destiny of the Daleks (1979) is a four-part serial set about two centuries after GotD. It again features the Fourth Doctor, but with a newly regenerated Romana (Lalla Ward). K9 is present, too, but doesn't have any kind of meaningful role to play, other than perhaps to give script editor Douglas Adams something to pin some odd comedy upon. It's pretty woeful and in complete contrast to the ominous feeling that follows directly, outside of the TARDIS.

The ship's randomiser deposits the Time Lord in a place and time that's as much of a surprise to him as it is to the viewers. The first part has a lot of bad dialogue, many silly conclusions, and a lorry-load of polystyrene rocks. The second part introduces a new race of white-suited humanoids with the dumbest Achilles' heel that I've seen in years. On the plus side, they're pure 70s futurism, like something from Sylvia Anderson's stack of rejected fashion ideas.

Despite the tense situation, it lacks drama, is largely dull, and lacks consistency, with too many plot oversights (if she doesn't get her radiation pills she'll die; she didn't get them and she lived).

03. Resurrection of the Daleks (1984) is the only time the 'cricket and celery' Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) met the xenophobic cyborgs who scream the same thing at least twice, in case it wasn't irritating enough the first time. His travelling companions are 'Top of the Pops audience member' Tegan (Janet Fielding) and 'I'm too old for Grange Hill' Turlough (Mark Strickson). It's a four-part story, but due to scheduling conflicts was first broadcast as two 45 minute episodes.

It opens with menacing camerawork on a contemporary, rainy London street. Policemen with machine pistols highlight that things aren't as they ought to be in such a location. Events thereafter occur mostly in a budget-friendly warehouse and onboard a future-time space station, upon which Davros (Terry Molloy) is imprisoned, having been frozen in suspended animation for ninety years. It didn't cool his temper any, nor reduce his inflated ego.

The Supreme Dalek's Troopers may be a force to be feared, but those farcical helmets need burned, forthwith. Conversely, I applaud the great British tradition of brewing tea when in a crisis. If one wants to put an alien invasion into true perspective, first get a hot cuppa in hand.

04. Revelation of the Daleks (1985) has the patchwork Fifth Doctor (Colin Baker) and his mithering companion Peri (Nicola Bryant) attending a funeral on a planet called Necros. Like his predecessor, it's the only time the Fifth Doctor met the Daleks onscreen.

A two-part story with episodes approximately 45 minutes each, it's a fusion of good and bad ideas, with quite a few scheming characters who have hidden agendas.

Bizarrely, comedian Alexei Sayle plays a kind of radio DJ for the dead. He interrupts the action periodically in various guises (hippy, greaser, etc); it's like outtakes from a Young Ones episode. He does eventually have a role to play outside of that, but even then his character is ridiculous.

Davros (Terry Molloy) returns, but he appears diminished, existing as just a head in a protective glass case. While it's the cruel despot traits that most define him, his role as 'scientist' remains relevant. Unsurprisingly, it too has a gruesome element, and while some good may come from his invention in the short term, it'll be of little comfort when his plan moves to the next phase.

It must be stated, however, that his presence is baffling, given how the previous serial ended; an explanation is given, but it's an insult to anyone with any hope for rational storytelling.

Elsewhere, there's a wandering mutant, trespassing body-snatchers with guns, a thoroughly unlikable embalmer, a tragic assistant, a weaselly businesswoman with fake sycophantic traits that are truly grating, and a cultured assassin. In retrospect, it's a varied mixture.

05. Remembrance of the Daleks (1988) is the last of the Classic Era episodes to feature Davros, and the last to have Daleks as the enemy. It's a four-part Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) story in which he's joined by his streetwise companion Ace (Sophie Aldred).

It's the opening story in the penultimate season of the Classic Era, and while McCoy's version of the Time Lord had started out as kind of clumsy, in RotD his more serious side is in play.

Ace was still relatively new, having joined the cast in the closing serial of the previous season, but she proves she can hold her own when the situation requires it.

Pamela Salem guest stars as an open-minded scientist who's been drafted by the military. It's not as memorable a role as her fantastic performance in Into The Labyrinth (1981-82) was, but she doesn't disappoint.

Long-time fans will recognise a few of the visited locations, in a direct reference to The First Doctor's earliest multipart serial, but it's not necessary to have been with the series that long in order to enjoy what unfolds in each one, it's just pleasing if you have been.

Davros isn't onscreen for very long, but the adventure is still a great one. I'd even go so far as to say it's my favourite of the five works written about here.